New Songthaew services around Hua Hin

[BaaBaa.]

Whoops, I meant 116.

[Big Boy]

OK, you're forgiven

[wpcoe]

My research continues. Today I waited from 137pm to 157pm (20 mins) at that shaded spot on the railway road by Soi 80 for the white/red/orange vehicle. (Yesterday I waited three minutes at 140pm at the same spot.) Then I sat down in front of MV at the bus top at 330pm. A white/red/orange one came at 345pm and the next one came at 415pm, so I guess they run in 30 minute intervals?

At the MV bus stop, I realized there are FOUR sawngtaews:



A. The traditional Airport-downtown-Khao Takiab green

B. The white/red/orange one I've been stalking -- says "Surround City" in red between the headlights and has a "Market Village" signboard on the dash facing the windshield

C. Red-orange one -- along the top: "Maegup, Lotus, Bangkok Hospital, San Paulo Hospital," along the lower side: "Sa-Mauprong, Immigration, Bau-Fai, Makro"

D. White one -- along the top: "Lotus, Huana," along the lower side: "Hua Hin Railway, Floating Market, Wat Huaymongkol"

Sorry I couldn't get a better picture of B. I spliced two pics to show the front and sides as best I could.

In the 45 minutes I sat in front of Market Village from 330pm to 415pm the C and D ones only came by once around 340pm.

I don't know what/where Sa-Mauprong, Bau-Fai or Huana are.

I realize the non-green ones are pretty much just starting up, so haven't developed a faithful following, but IMHO they need to run more frequently, or at least on a published -- and publicized -- schedule. Today, I got sweat-drenched waiting 20 minutes for a bus at the same time yesterday when I only waited three minutes. I could have walked to MV more quickly and probably not been as hot. BUT, if these companies persevere until another high season, it would be nice for them to become reliable -- and sorely needed -- supplements to the always crowded green sawngtaews.

It would be nice to see four maps of the service lines, or really dreaming: a composite map showing the four route lines.

@Big Boy: The post you made with "Hua Hin to Hua Mongkol," is that for D (the white one)?

[Big Boy]

Yes, that is for the white one at D (I also posted a photo earlier in the thread).

I also posted details of all 4 services, which is also available here http://www.tourismhuahin.com/getting-around-huahin.php

[wpcoe]

Thanks for the link. Nice concise summary of the routes. (How are you at drawing maps? )

You mention the Surround City bus, which I believe is B in my collage above, runs at intervals of about ten minutes. When I waited twenty minutes by the railway station, I didn't see a bus going the other direction even once. Based on my observation at MV, I think the interval might be closer to 30 minutes?

[Big Boy]

Yes, that is B.

A while back I posted this poster (includes a map ) regarding this service:

On the poster it states every 15 minutes from 06:00 until 21:00, but it reduces to 30 minute intervals between 11:00 and 15:00. Hope that helps.

[wpcoe]

Ah, that explains my waits. Of course, it seems most of my trips are 1100-1500, so I better get used to it.

Thanks for the repost. I saw that map before and couldn't read the street names, but sorta kinda figured out some of the pictures. (What's a big boat doing to the west of the railroad?) If that route goes to/past Makro and Immigrations, what is the east-west road at the top of the map, i.e. where would it turn left when if heading north (counter-clockwise route)?

Now, for a map of the other routes...

[Big Boy]

I've never been that far North, but I don't think it goes as far as Immigration/Makro. The bus somehow gets to Petchkasem, and does a U turn to go down Soi 41.

No idea what the boat is doing there - maybe somebody's expecting a high tide

[hhfarang]

Where the heck is "Maegep"? It is listed as the beginning of one of the routes.

[Big Boy]

I think I've answered this one already. I've been told it's the Soi 94 area West of the railway crossing.

[hhinner]

Ah, that explains my waits. Of course, it seems most of my trips are 1100-1500, so I better get used to it.

Thanks for the repost. I saw that map before and couldn't read the street names, but sorta kinda figured out some of the pictures. (What's a big boat doing to the west of the railroad?) If that route goes to/past Makro and Immigrations, what is the east-west road at the top of the map, i.e. where would it turn left when if heading north (counter-clockwise route)?

Now, for a map of the other routes...

The east west road at the top of the map is soi 41 east of petchkasem and soi 56 west of petchkasem. This route does not go to Makro or Immigration. For those you need the orange songthaew in your photo C in your May 2 post. Cheers.

[wpcoe]

Thanks, guys. I'm slowly getting a grasp on these routes.

[wpcoe]

I had always understood that the green sawngtaews were B10 between city center and the airport or Khao Takiab, and that if your journey transited the city center (e.g. Market Village to Hua Hin Hospital) that it was B20.

The other day I was in a green one and there was a big hand-scripted poster, which looked professionally done and not new, that said Khao Takiab to downtown -- B15, Airport to downtown B15, Khao Takiab to Airport B20.

I've been paying B10 within HH, typically from Soi 80 to Market Village. What triggers the B15 charge?

[Big Boy]

I think it's time of day. I've read that the price increases after a certain time in the evening.

[lomuamart]

Yes, the price goes up to 15THB after 6pm.